This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-289523, filed Sep. 22, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a music data providing apparatus, a music data receiving apparatus, a music data reproducing apparatus, and a music data providing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, audio equipment of the type compatible with music providing service that provides music data via a network has been put on the market as new audio equipment differing from such audio equipment dealing with CDs or MDS. In a server, a large number of music data files have been stored. A user accesses the server from a cellular phone terminal or a unit with a reception function, such as a personal computer, and chooses the desired music (or number) in accordance with the guidance on the operating screen provided by the server, thereby downloading the chosen music data file from the server and storing it in the built-in memory or the like temporarily, which enables the user to reproduce the music freely later.
The music providing service has suddenly been popularized because of various merits, including the merits that users can receive the desired music whenever they want to, that they can get only the necessary piece of music, that they have only to pay the charge for each piece of music, and that they can enjoy listening to the desired pieces of music after editing them in a play list.
Although users can enjoy the various merits of music providing services as described above, there is room for improvement, when it comes to the ease of use. For instance, music data files cannot be reproduced unless the reception of all of the music data files has been completed. Therefore, there is a probability that the user will find only after the reproduction of the music following the reception that the music is not the desired one.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a music data providing apparatus, a music data receiving apparatus, a music data reproducing apparatus, and a music data providing method which enable a part of music data to be provided or reproduced.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music data providing apparatus for providing a music data receiving apparatus with music data, comprising: a storage unit configured to store a plurality of files to which music data for a piece of music has been distributed; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the music data in units of files in accordance with a request from the music data receiving apparatus.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music data providing apparatus for providing a music data receiving apparatus with music data, comprising: a storage unit configured to store a file having music data for a piece of music; and a transmitting unit configured to cut out a part of music data for a piece of music and transmit the part in accordance with a request from the music data receiving apparatus.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music data providing apparatus for providing a music data receiving apparatus with music data, comprising: a storage unit configured to store a file having music data for a piece of music, together with another file having a part of the music data for the piece of music; and a transmitting unit configured to selectively transmit at least one of the another file and the music data file in accordance with a request from the music data receiving apparatus.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music data receiving apparatus for receiving music data from a music data providing apparatus, comprising: a requesting unit configured to request the music data providing apparatus to transmit a part of music data for a piece of music; and a reproducing unit configured to reproduce the part of the music data for the piece of music transmitted from the music data providing apparatus.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music data reproducing apparatus comprising: a storage unit configured to store music data for a piece of music; and a reproducing unit configured to reproduce a part of the music data for the piece of music stored in the storage unit.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music data reproducing apparatus comprising: a storage unit configured to store a plurality of section data files constituting music data for a piece of music; and a reproducing unit configured to separately reproduce the plurality of section data files stored in the storage unit.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music data providing method for providing a music data receiving apparatus with music data from a music data providing apparatus, the method comprising: requesting a part of music data from the music data receiving apparatus to the music data providing apparatus; and transmitting the part of the music data from the music data providing apparatus to the music data receiving apparatus in accordance with a request from the music data receiving apparatus.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.